FaQ About UI GreenMetric

UI GreenMetric World University Ranking ranks universities worldwide on sustainability issues, based on their self assessed input for the criteria set and extensive independent research and survey responses conducted for the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking. The ranking are based on the following world university ranking :
• THES
• Webometric
• HEEACT
• QS
• the College Sustainability Report Card

Indicators used for grading are described in Indicators. Each university earns in proportion to its policies and practices for each indicator. A predetermined scale, based on points earned for the indicators, is then used to determine the total point for each category. Please refer to Methodology for more information.

Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. University has the potential to demonstrate sustainable principles in their campus operations and can be a role model for the society. Their examples can provide a road map for others to follow.

I take this to mean the assumptions it is based on rather than the operationalization. The broad philosophy underlying the ranking methodology was the three Es : Environment, Economy and Equity. Beyond that, we decided to develop the ranking in a way that first of all tried to be fair when taking into consideration the conditions of universities in different regions, and those for universities in highly urbanized and non-urbanized settings. This has proved quite challenging. Within this broad policy, we would like to make the rankings easy to fill out to encourage wider participation. We see this as a first attempt and are already working on a second version.

Our team consists of academics at our university with expertises in architecture and urban planning, engineering and sustainability, and social science research methodology. Beyond this, we had input from experts or concerned people in other relevant areas.

We have held of on this for the first version at least. We felt that we had to balance scientific respectability with the pragmatic realities of the extra effort involved. However, we are looking at ways of working towards some sort of validation process for future versions.

We are aware that there are many universities, either working alone or in some sort of grouping, where sustainability is well developed on campuses. Most of these are in the developed world. We see ourselves as positioned within the broad consensus of existing views but in a way where we could pull in universities in developing countries which might otherwise feel they would be at a disadvantage with the existing well-established systems.

Our whole principle is that this is very much a work in progress. We are already working on the revision of our methodology informed among other things by the excellent feedback we have received from participants. Please let us know what your specific suggestions are in this regard.